OREL, Russia (August 5, 2015) - Former M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Viktor Nemkov positioned himself for a rematch with the fighter who took his title belt last year, Stephan Puetz, by winning a three-round decision in tonight's M-1 Challenge 60: Battle in Orel main event against Maro "Mean Machine" Perak at Grimm Arena in Orel, Russia.

Nemkov (22-5-0, 4 KO/TKO, 10 SUB), fighting out of Russia, was the 2011 World Combat Sambo champion. He lost his first M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title fight in 2011 by third-round submission (Gogoplata neck crank)) to Vinny Magalhaes at M-1 Challenge 25. Nemkov rebounded in 2013 at M-1 Challenge 43, defeating Vasily Baboch by way of a second-round submission (arm lock) for the vacant M-1 Challenge light heavyweight championship.

In his first title defense (March 14, 2014), Nemkov lost a five-round split decision to Puetz in a major upset. Since losing to Puetz, Nemkov had fought only once going into tonight's fight due to a series of injuries that kept him sidelined the past 1 ½ years.

Perak (23-6-1, 12 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), fighting out of Croatia, made his light heavyweight debut versus Nemkov having dropped down one weight class, after campaigning strictly as a heavyweight during his professional career.